27 WEEKS, 1 DAY

90 days to go...

Your baby today

On a scan the space between the frontal bones of the forehead appears as a dark line on the soft spot at the top of your baby's head. This is not a line on the skin: instead where there is no underlying bone, more of the ultrasound beam passes through rather than being reflected.

Do all you can to stay involved with medium- and long-term plans at work so that you continue to feel part of the team.

The difficulty of balancingmotherhood and a career can crop up even while you're still pregnant. Depending on your career, you may find yourself excluded from long-term planning discussions as colleagues assume that you won't be around, or won't come back after your maternity leave. Some colleagues may simply treat you differently just because you're pregnant, assuming you can no longer do your job in the same way. You may feel left out of future planning, or feel that your opinions are disregarded since you will not be there to implement them. This can be compounded by the fact that it can be difficult to motivate yourself if you know you won't be there to see a project through to the end.

No one can be certain of being in a job in six months' or a year's time, but you have the advantage of knowing how much longer you're going to work and you may even have a reasonable idea of when you're intending to return to work. Continue to do your job and make it clear by your actions that you want to provide input on all projects, even though you may not be there to see them through to the end. If at this point in time you're intending to return to work after the baby is born, make this clear to any colleagues who may doubt your long-term commitment.

You can also help plan for your maternity leave by, perhaps, dividing up your workload or helping to search for a replacement to cover your role. Being organized now will make the countdown to going on maternity leave much easier in the coming weeks.

As A Matter Of Fact

As your uterus grows, your diaphragm is compressed with the result that you may find it difficult to breathe deeply.

In fact, you're actually taking in more air. It's important not to fight the natural tendency to hollow your back. This opens up your rib cage to let in more air, and also helps balance the excess weight of your belly.

Ask A... Mom

Should we buy a baby bath or can the baby use our bath?

I thought a baby bath was an optional extra, but having bought one found it really useful. A huge advantage is that you can use it in any room (though if the room doesn't have a water supply, you'll need to transport water).

I was a bit apprehensive the first few times we bathed the baby, then experienced parents told me even they found it tricky to hold a wiggling baby safely in a bath of water. Using a smaller baby bath is less daunting and helps you develop confidence. However, a baby outgrows a baby bath by around six months and, once not in use, the bath can take up a lot of storage space (unless you can recycle it to a pregnant friend). Many parents choose a bath seat designed for newborns in the family bath. Alternatively, enjoy a bath together, although you must keep the water tepid for the baby and you may find this too cold for you.